Poetry in Motion (arts program)
Encyclopedia
Poetry in Motion is an arts program collaborative which displays poems by prominent authors in advertising space on the buses and subways. The program was launched by New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority
and the Poetry Society of America
, based on the success of the Streetfare Journal
produced in New York and San Francisco by Transportation Displays Incorporated from 1984 to 1997.
and the Poetry Society of America
and aimed to make the use of New York City
public transportation more enjoyable and enlightening. The program was originally based on the British Council
program Poems on the Underground
, and was launched to reach the nearly 7 million daily commuters of New York City.
The first set of poems was "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry" by Walt Whitman
, "Hope is the Thing with Feathers" by Emily Dickinson
, "When You Are Old" by William Butler Yeats
, and "Let There Be New Flowering" by Lucille Clifton
. Since then, poems by more than 100 different authors have bean featured.
Poetry in Motion also appeared in Milwaukee, New Orleans, Salt Lake City, St. Louis, as well as Boise, Idaho; Denver, Colorado; Fresno, California; Hartford, Connecticut; Jacksonville, Florida; and Little Rock, Arkansas. At peak, Poetry in Motion reached 13 million commuters daily in 14 American cities.
Poetry In Motion From Coast to Coast was published by W.W. Norton in 2002 and includes 120 selections from buses and subways across the country. The book was noted praiseworthy for "for its populist approach to poetry."
will relaunch the NYC branch in the summer of 2010, returning poems to the city bus system. Today the program is active in Dallas, Denver, St. Louis, and Los Angeles.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York)
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York is a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the U.S...
and the Poetry Society of America
Poetry Society of America
The Poetry Society of America is a literary organization founded in 1910 by poets, editors, and artists including Witter Bynner. It is the oldest poetry organization in the United States. Past members of the have included such renowned writers as Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, Edna St. Vincent...
, based on the success of the Streetfare Journal
Streetfare Journal
The Streetfare Journal produced in New York and San Francisco by Transportation Displays Incorporated from 1984 to 1997, was actually not a newsprint journal but "published" bus placards, eventually numbering 102 posters, "arguably the largest and most successful public art program in U.S...
produced in New York and San Francisco by Transportation Displays Incorporated from 1984 to 1997.
History
Poetry in Motion was developed in 1992 by the Metropolitan Transportation AuthorityMetropolitan Transportation Authority (New York)
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York is a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the U.S...
and the Poetry Society of America
Poetry Society of America
The Poetry Society of America is a literary organization founded in 1910 by poets, editors, and artists including Witter Bynner. It is the oldest poetry organization in the United States. Past members of the have included such renowned writers as Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, Edna St. Vincent...
and aimed to make the use of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
public transportation more enjoyable and enlightening. The program was originally based on the British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
program Poems on the Underground
Poems on the Underground
Poems on the Underground is a project to bring poetry to a wider audience by displaying various poems or stanzas on advertising boards across the London Underground rapid transit network.-History:...
, and was launched to reach the nearly 7 million daily commuters of New York City.
The first set of poems was "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry" by Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman
Walter "Walt" Whitman was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American canon, often called the father of free verse...
, "Hope is the Thing with Feathers" by Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson
Emily Elizabeth Dickinson was an American poet. Born in Amherst, Massachusetts, to a successful family with strong community ties, she lived a mostly introverted and reclusive life...
, "When You Are Old" by William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and playwright, and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature. A pillar of both the Irish and British literary establishments, in his later years he served as an Irish Senator for two terms...
, and "Let There Be New Flowering" by Lucille Clifton
Lucille Clifton
Lucille Clifton was an American writer and educator from Buffalo, New York. From 1979–1985 she was Poet Laureate of Maryland...
. Since then, poems by more than 100 different authors have bean featured.
Expansion
Originally designed for New York's MTA system, Poetry in Motion expanded to cities including:- 1996 - ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and BostonBostonBoston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had... - 1997 - BaltimoreBaltimoreBaltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
and Portland, OregonPortland, OregonPortland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States... - 1998 - Dallas, Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution.... - 1999 - Philadelphia
- 2000 - Pioneer ValleyPioneer ValleyThe Pioneer Valley is the colloquial name for the U.S. Commonwealth of Massachusetts's portion of the Connecticut River Valley. The Pioneer Valley consists of three counties in Massachusetts which collectively feature much of New England's most fertile farmland...
, AustinAustinAustin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas.Austin may also refer to:-In the United States:*Austin, Arkansas*Austin, Colorado*Austin, Chicago, Illinois*Austin, Indiana*Austin, Minnesota*Austin, Nevada*Austin, Oregon...
, Fort Collins, Houston, and Ohio State University's public transportation.
Poetry in Motion also appeared in Milwaukee, New Orleans, Salt Lake City, St. Louis, as well as Boise, Idaho; Denver, Colorado; Fresno, California; Hartford, Connecticut; Jacksonville, Florida; and Little Rock, Arkansas. At peak, Poetry in Motion reached 13 million commuters daily in 14 American cities.
Poetry in Motion Awards
Poetry in Motion has received numerous awards for design and utility, including:- The New York Press Club’s "Heart of New York Award" – 1994
- The Municipal Art Society’s Certificate of Merit – 1994 (Awarded jointly to Poetry in Motion and Arts for Transit)
- A proclamation from the Council of the City of New York that honored Poetry in Motion for its "invaluable contribution to the people of New York City" – 2000
Poetry in Motion Publications
Poetry In Motion: 100 Poems from the Buses and Subways was published by W.W. Norton in 1996 and was selected as a Best Book for Young Adults by the Young Adult Library Services Association and the American Library Association.Poetry In Motion From Coast to Coast was published by W.W. Norton in 2002 and includes 120 selections from buses and subways across the country. The book was noted praiseworthy for "for its populist approach to poetry."
Poetry in Motion Today
In the Spring of 2009, Poetry in Motion was temporarily suspended in New York. The Poetry Society of AmericaPoetry Society of America
The Poetry Society of America is a literary organization founded in 1910 by poets, editors, and artists including Witter Bynner. It is the oldest poetry organization in the United States. Past members of the have included such renowned writers as Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, Edna St. Vincent...
will relaunch the NYC branch in the summer of 2010, returning poems to the city bus system. Today the program is active in Dallas, Denver, St. Louis, and Los Angeles.